<p> UPTOWN PLANNERS Uptown Community Planning Group April 3, 2012 MEETING MINUTES Meeting Place: Joyce Beers Community Center</p><p>Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m.</p><p>Present: Jennifer Pesquiera, Matt Winter, Joe Naskar, Tom Fox, Bob Grinchuk, Don Liddell, Ernie Bonn, Gary Bonner, Rhett Butler, Chris Ward, Ken Tablang, Jim Mellos, Neil Ferrier, Tony Winney, Kim Adler, Beth Jaworski (6:10 p.m.)</p><p>Absent: Janet O’Dea</p><p>Approximately 150 people were in attendance. l. Board Meeting: Parliamentary Items/ Reports: </p><p>Election of Officers:</p><p>Ernie Bonn nominated the following officers for the board; Don Liddell for Chair; Beth Jaworski for Vice Chair; and Tom Fox for Treasurer; seconded by Ferrier. Motion passed by 13-0-2; Liddell, Fox abstaining. </p><p>No board member volunteered to be Secretary; Leo Wilson agreed to be Acting Secretary until a permanent Secretary was appointed.</p><p>Tony Winney agreed to administer the website; Janet O’Dea had previously indicated she wished to step down after administering the site for a long period of time; Ferrier indicated he would continue to assist with the website.</p><p>Chair Liddell recommended that Leo Wilson be appointed chair of the Design Review Subcommittee; whose membership or chair is not required by the bylaws to be a board member; Bonn made motion; Ferrier seconded; passed by a 15-0 vote.</p><p>Jaworski arrived; accepted the appointment as Vice Chair. </p><p>Approval of Agenda:</p><p>The Filter Sidewalk Project, as described below, was removed from the agenda; although originally noticed as a Process Two NUP application on February 17, 2012, the project was approved ministerially by city staff which was noticed on March 6, 2012. </p><p>1 1295 UNIVERSITY AVENUE (“FILTER SIDEWALK PROJECT”) – Process Two – Neighborhood Use Permit for a 200-square foot sidewalk café for an existing coffee house at 1295 University Avenue in the CN-2A Zone; FAA Part 77, Transit Area.</p><p>Motion was made to add the Letter of Support for the Rock and Roll Marathon to the Consent Agenda; passed by a 15-0-1 vote; Chair Liddell abstaining.</p><p>LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON – Uptown – Event will take place on June 3, 3012; will involve the closure of sections of Sixth Avenue, University Avenue and Park Boulevard. </p><p>Approval of Minutes: </p><p>The approval of several months of past minutes was deferred until the May 2012 meeting.</p><p>Treasurer’s Report:</p><p>Past Treasurer Roy Dahl stated there was $375.50 in the Uptown Planners bank account. He and Tom Fox coordinated the transfer of the account to Fox as the new treasurer.</p><p>Website Report: </p><p>None, other than a note of appreciation to Janet O’Dea for her work continuing to administering the website, despite her busy job as a business proprietor.</p><p>Chair/ CPC Report:</p><p>As former chair, Wilson gave the Community Planners Committee report. The March meeting was Wilson’s last as the Uptown CPC representative; he has chaired the CPC since 2006. </p><p>City Councilmember Lorie Zapf spoke at the CPC. Zapf solicited comments from all the CPC representatives about issues in their respective communities. It was an effective meeting, and Zapf was well received.</p><p>Betsy McCullough, the former city assistant planning director, is reviewing the Series 600 series of City Council Policies; a special CPC committee was formed to assist in the review. Leo Wilson will serve on the committee </p><p>II. Non-Agenda Public Comment: </p><p>Tom Mullaney complimented the former Chair for his long service to Uptown. </p><p>Ian Epley criticized the board for being too activism oriented in the past, and hoped the new board will go in a different direction.</p><p>Doug Scott spoke on Bankers Hill/Park West parking issues.</p><p>Kim Adler provided information regarding a future SOHO walking tour in Mission Hills. </p><p>III. Representatives of Elected Officials: </p><p>Jessica Poole updated the board regarding the activities of Congressmember Susan Davis.</p><p>Dion Akers spoke in place of Anthony Bernal on behalf of City Council District Three, and passed out that office’s latest newsletter.</p><p>2 Ian Clampett spoke on behalf of City Council District Two; and indicated the city’s budget situation had improved, and that needed public services would be again funded, including beach fire pits. </p><p>IV. Consent Agenda: </p><p>Motion by Ferrier, seconded by Bonner, to approve the Consent Agenda which contained the following agenda item:</p><p>LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON – Uptown – Event will take place on June 3, 3012; will involve the closure of sections of Sixth Avenue, University Avenue and Park Boulevard. </p><p>V. Potential Action Items: Projects: </p><p>2121 SAN DIEGO AVENUE (“OLD TOWN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING”) – Process Five – Five Points/ Middletown -- Conditional Use Permit for Transitional Military Housing in an existing; 46,926 sq. ft. acre site at 2121 San Diego Avenue in the MCCPD CL-6 Zone; AAOZ; FAA Part 77, North Bay Redevelopment Area.</p><p>Dr. Robert Smith and Debbie Dominick spoke on behalf of the project applicant. They explained the purpose of the facility, and the Aspire Program that would be housed within it. Dr. Smith provided a background of the process by which the site was selected. A handout containing information about the Aspire Center was distributed to both the board and those in attendance at the meeting. </p><p>Cynthia Morgan, an attorney with Higgs, Fletcher & Mack, spoke on behalf of the Old Town Academy in opposition to the project; as did Christopher Celentino, the board chair of the Old Town Academy, and Tom Donohue. They pointed out the project was within 22 feet of their charter school, which had 250 students.</p><p>Public comment was made by both supporters and opponents of the project: speakers in opposition included Gordon Hess, Christopher H -----, co-founder of the Old Town Academy, Larry Lamb, Mary Rushton, Matt Da---n, Elliot Feldstein, Nelly Dean, Toni Collies; speakers in support included Linda Stanley, Ian Epley, Martha Swarzie, Jeff Stincheaml, Eric Worple, Chaplain Garcia, Sharon Gehl, Kim Ridner, Elvi Olesen and Michael Seidel, Moga Oja, Gina Truet. </p><p>Correspondence that was received by the board included a letter from Attorney Morgan on behalf of the Old Town Academy dated February 29, 2012; and letters from the Old Town Chamber of Commerce, Mission Hills Town Council, Five Points/ Middletown Business Association; a petition opposed to the project containing 172 signatures; a letter from board member Janet O’Dea expressing opposition; and letters from Lisa Mortenson, Larry Bogle and Mr. Brook in opposition.</p><p>Board members made brief comments; during which time several questions arose regarding potential legal issues that had been raised at public comment. Several board members indicated there might be a need for clarification from the City Attorney.</p><p>Motion by Mellos seconded by Ferrier, to continue the project until the May 1, 2012 meeting of Uptown Planners; and in the interim request: (1.) a determination by the City Attorney whether the project is transitional housing or a treatment facility; and (2.) the completion of environmental review upon submittal of a geotechnical report showing whether there is an active fault under the project site. Motion passed by a vote of 10-5-1; vote in favor were Pesquiera, Winter, Naskar, Bonn, Butler, Mellos, Ferrier, Adler, Jaworski, Winney; voting against were Grinchuk, Bonner, Ward, Tablang, Fox; non-voting Chair Liddell abstained.</p><p>WATER GROUP PROJECT 945 – Bankers Hill/Park West – Presentation regarding replacement of 6,687 linear feet (1.27 miles) of existing cast iron water mains with 16-inch PVC pipes. The areas of the project include Fifth Avenue from Juniper Street to Upas </p><p>3 Street; Laurel Street from Front Street to Balboa Drive; and Third Street from Kalmia Street to Laurel Street. </p><p>Presentation by Luis Schaar, Associate Civil Engineer, Water and Pipeline Right of Way Design Division, of the City’s Engineering and Capital Projects. The present water lines were installed in the 1960s, and need to be replaced. Construction will begin in September 2013 and take approximately eight months to complete. There was no public comment; board members asked several questions. </p><p>VI. Adjournment: </p><p>Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 p.m. </p><p>Respectfully submitted, Leo Wilson, Acting Secretary </p><p>4</p>